Munition Safety Arming Unit Roll Maneuver Logic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety and arming devices for munitions face challenges in ensuring independent and reliable sensing of environmental conditions for safe arming, as they may not be entirely independent of primary arming and release conditions, can affect munition performance, and require specific initiation and de-icing arrangements, which can lead to unintentional initiation or performance penalties.
Innovation Solution
A safety and arming device that senses free-fall and executes a defined roll manoeuvre after separation from the release platform, using a separation sensor and control logic to confirm intentional release and ensure the munition is safely separated, thereby avoiding manual handling or platform contact, without impacting range or accuracy performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing environment sensing mechanisms are used for munition arming, then arming safety is improved, but the mechanisms may not be entirely independent of primary arming and release conditions and may directly affect munition performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sensing function into multiple independent sensors that measure different environmental parameters (temperature, pressure, humidity) rather than relying on a single sensing mechanism. This segmentation ensures that no single sensor can falsely trigger arming and maintains independence from primary arming conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing unit that receives signals from multiple independent sensors and applies logical evaluation to determine whether arming conditions are met. This intermediary layer prevents direct coupling between environmental sensing and the arming function, ensuring independence while maintaining safety.
2Reliability
If existing environment sensing mechanisms are used for munition arming, then arming safety is improved, but specific initiation arrangements and de-icing arrangements are required on-board the munition platform
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the environmental sensing system to serve multiple functions: it monitors arming conditions, detects platform environmental state, and provides data for safety evaluation. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate initiation and de-icing arrangements, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining arming safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensing system is designed to be self-contained and self-regulating, using the environmental parameters it measures to automatically determine arming readiness without requiring external initiation signals or separate de-icing systems. The system serves itself by using its own measurements to control the arming process.
3Reliability
If a roll manoeuvre is executed after separation for arming confirmation, then safe and reliable arming is ensured by distinguishing intentional from unintentional movements, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent executes a predetermined roll manoeuvre as a preliminary action immediately after separation. This planned manoeuvre creates a known, distinguishable motion pattern that confirms intentional release. By preparing and executing this action in advance, the system establishes a clear distinction between intentional and unintentional movements without requiring complex real-time analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses separation sensors to detect the roll manoeuvre and provides feedback to the control logic to confirm intentional release. The sensor monitors the manoeuvre execution and feeds this information back to the arming decision system, creating a closed-loop verification process that enhances reliability while using simple, direct sensing and control mechanisms.
Data Source
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AI summary
A safety and arming device for a munition is operable to arm and initiate a munition dependent on determining separation from a munition platform, determining detection of free fall of the device for a first time period following separation, initiating a roll manoeuvre of the munition and determining detection of the execution of the roll manoeuvre within a second time period, and generating a munition firing signal, dependent on detection of all of separation, free fall, and the roll manoeuvre.